Page:Aeneid (Conington 1866).djvu/366

At once, devouring all between,
From east to west along the green
The fiery host extends;
He, placed on high, beholds the while
The conquering blaze with joyous smile:
So, gallant youth, from far and wide
Arcadia gathers to thy side,
And all her succour lends.
But, trained in battle's fierce alarms,
Halæsus round him draws his arms
And springs to meet the foe.
Then fell Demodocus, and then
Ladon and Pheres, valiant men:
That onset brought them low:
A hostile hand Strymonius rears;
Strymonius' hand his falchion shears:
At Thoas' front he flings a stone,
And scatters blood, and brain, and bone.
Halæsus' sire the future feared,
And 'mid the woods his darling reared:
When death had glazed the old man's eyes,
The ruthless Parcæ claimed their prize,
Laid their cold finger on his heart,
And marked him for Evander's dart.
Now, poising long his lance in air,
To Tiber Pallas made his prayer:
'Grant, Tiber sire, the spear I throw
Through strong Halæsus' breast may go:
The spoils and armour of the foe
Shall deck thy sacred oak.'
'Tis heard; and while Halæsus shields
Imaon's breast, his own he yields
Unguarded to the stroke.

But Lausus, breath of battle's life,
Lets not his followers yield the strife,
By that fell carnage frayed: